1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to toothpaste for brushing one's teeth and, more particularly, a toothpaste dispensing system that dispenses single serving portions of toothpaste in preformed shapes.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Toothpaste is a paste or gel used to clean and improve the health and aesthetic appearance of teeth. Used in conjunction with a toothbrush, toothpaste promotes oral hygiene by aiding the removal of dental plaque and food from the teeth, and often includes fluoride for prevention of tooth and gum disease.
Toothpaste is typically stored within a cavity of a handheld container, which may be squeezed by a user to force the toothpaste outwards through an opening in communication with the cavity. The user must continue to squeeze the handheld container until the desired amount of toothpaste has been emitted onto the user's toothbrush and the user can begin brushing his or her teeth.
It is frequently a difficult task for parents and caregivers to teach young children the importance of oral hygiene, as children often lack the patience required by tooth brushing. This is due in part to the fact that tooth brushing is a rather monotonous activity that fails to capture the interest of young children. This problem is further due to the difficulty encountered by young children associated with the process of properly dispensing toothpaste onto a toothbrush. Children are prone to dispensing too much or too little toothpaste onto their toothbrush. Moreover, children often make a mess when trying to control the toothpaste container in one hand and the toothbrush in the other hand while trying to squeeze toothpaste onto the toothbrush.
A number of inventions intended for children have been directed towards simplifying the preparation process associated with tooth brushing. One example is the combination toothbrush and toothpaste dispenser disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,527,446 to Johnson Papa et al. The '446 apparatus includes a dispenser housing that is sized to hold a toothpaste cartridge. The dispenser housing includes an activator button which, when pressed with downward force, forces toothpaste out of an orifice and onto the user's toothbrush. While the '446 apparatus is useful for its intended purpose, its bulky size is inconvenient. Furthermore, the '446 apparatus is sufficiently dissimilar to a traditional handheld toothpaste dispenser such that children do not become familiar with the conventional process of putting toothpaste onto a toothbrush. Therefore, there remains a need for a toothpaste dispensing system that provides single serving portions of toothpaste in preformed shapes, which can be easily operated by young children.